Karima Magazine Sep-Oct 2017

HOW TO’S
Street Fair
44TH ANNUAL
NIHONMACHI STREET FAIR
A Community Reunion by Mariel Toni Jimenez, J.D., LL.M.
OR THE PAST 28 YEARS, I’ve attended
Nihonmachi Street Fair (NSF) in Japantown, San
Francisco. My son was part of Summer camp
with the Japanese Community Youth Council (JCYC)
sincehe was five years old. It is always held on the
first weekend in August. This year, the 44th Annual
Nihonmachi Street took place on August 4th & 5th, 2017.
Attendance is approximately 30,000 for the weekend.
Coined as the “Mother of all street fairs”, the
planning begins six to eight months prior to the event
date. Grace Horikiri, a dedicated and trieless leader has
spear headed NSF with a group of mainstay and new
volunteers since the 1980’s.
The Nihonmachi Street Fair’s mission statement
reads: ”Engage and develop young Asian and Pacific
American leaders through the development of building
community that celebrates our culture and diversity”
NSF volunteers are of all ages between 7-75 years old.
Nihonmachi works alongside many organizations that
provide important programs and services for their
youths. This year NSF recognized two organizations that
not only share the importance of community but also
helps nurture the volunteer spirit in the youths —Heart
in Motion and Samoan Community Development Center.
NSF began in the 1970’s to provide leadership
and mentorship for the youth of Japantown. To this
day, this remains a vision that holds dearly to the
Board of Directors and the NSF Planning committee.
“We encourage our young people to be involved
and join the planning committee and volunteer. It’s all
about good people with great passion wanting to do
good for the community” said Grace Horikiri, Executive
Director NSF.
Now the fair has evolved and grown to include more
attractions such as:
Non-profit information table and Corporate
participants (40)
Asian Artisans (19)
Food Fest: Participating Organizations and
Vendors (16)
Doggie World, 6th Annual Doggie Parade and
pageant; Doggie World Participating
Rescue Organizations (7)
Art & Soul of JTown: (10+)
Sounds of Thunder Car Show
Children’s World
4th Annual No. California Adult Co-Ed
Basketball Tournament
All Day Music at NSF: Webster Street Stage and
the Clear Channel Multicultural Stage
“It’s always rewarding for me to see young
people getting involved. It’s that community spirit that
we need to pass on to them, said Horikiri.
If you missed it this year, don’t forget to attend
out next year!
Experience. Embrace. Enjoy. For the community,
embracing all our communities.
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